Zowie! It's great riding in the dark. Just got back from my first serious night ride, something longer than a few dozen yards to check out my lights. Oh man, it's really nice. Cool, quiet (both aurally and traffic wise) and dark. The first means I don't sweat so much and don't get so hot. The other two means I know what's coming from a lot further away than during the day. I might not be able to identify what make and model, but I know it's coming my way.

That cool bit is really important, right now, at a bit past 10 pm it's 73F. Not exactly chilly. Daytimes are running about 3 to 5F higher. Real early in the morning it's been getting down to 68F.

But the nicest part is just flying along in my own little tube of light. We've got streetlights nearly everywhere so there's no complete darkness but it's still nice.

I think I'm going to like night riding even better than the day. Only drawback is not being able to pick out small debris on the roadway and smaller potholes and bumps. But hey, one has to have some danger.

GeeBee

01-08-2009, 04:19 AM

Another light aimed down a bit more will take care of seeing the obstacles.

Roger Zoul

01-08-2009, 08:01 AM

Good to hear there are others leaning toward the dark side.

I really enjoy night riding and I'm getting to the point where I'd almost rather ride at night than day. I get up early, leave out between 4 and 5 am. I usually get the nearby (in the city) wide and smooth roads to myself, or at least an entire lane. It spoils you.

So far, I have ridden at night in rain and in fog. Both are not as much fun as if you wear any kind of eye wear viability is an issue. My longest ride (starting in the dark) as been 42 miles. It can be harder to see potholes and such at night, even with 400 lumens of light. Seems wise to go a little slower than you'd normally ride.

rydabyk

01-08-2009, 08:22 AM

I've never ridden very far at night, usually only 9-10 miles on my commute home. I admit that it's really peaceful on the quiet back roads but I sometimes find the main roads to be rather dicey. That said, I really do enjoy my night rides, I wish we had a nice long paved rail trail around here. We had a nice trail that ran by the gulf but Ivan and then Dennis (back to back cat 3 Hurricanes in 2004 and 2005) claimed it for themselves. It has never been rebuilt.

enumclaw

01-08-2009, 12:06 PM

Night rides are a very exciting experience--speeding through surrounding that you mostly can't see. It must have special appeal in your climate, with warm night air.

For a really strange (although very short) ride, try triking with your eyes closed. I recommend a parking lot when stores are closed. I also experimented with this on a mt bike on wet sand at the beach. Very disorienting in a nice kind of way.

RAFH

01-08-2009, 12:20 PM

Another light aimed down a bit more will take care of seeing the obstacles.

Yeah, I have a wide flood (four LEDs in a mounting off a night fishing hat) I need to mount under and out in front of the cranks. I broke it a while back trying to see how I could hook it up to a central battery pack and need to get back to the repairs. It doesn't have much range but it does have a lot of spread and will definitely be seen by oncoming of side coming traffic.

As it is, I have a pair of Fenix L2Ds, one on each headset so they turn with the steering. The problem with this is because the headsets are not vertical, the lights arc across at an angle, aiming low when turned inboard, though they remain relatively level from straight on to outboard. Added to this is the tendency for the mounts to foul my pants so I am looking at alternative mountings. The Fennix's do throw a heck of a beam, but it's quite narrow. I think I'm going to have to augment the system with something with a wide and strong beam for the intermediate distance.

I also don't think any reasonable lighting system will ever be able to pick up all the details, so it's not a real good idea to be cruising along unknown roads. I can probably survive the odd rock or small pothole under any conditions but driving on an unfamiliar road in the dark at speed isn't the best of ideas. That said, it's still a heck of a rush.

RAFH

01-08-2009, 12:35 PM

Good to hear there are others leaning toward the dark side.

I really enjoy night riding and I'm getting to the point where I'd almost rather ride at night than day. I get up early, leave out between 4 and 5 am. I usually get the nearby (in the city) wide and smooth roads to myself, or at least an entire lane. It spoils you.

So far, I have ridden at night in rain and in fog. Both are not as much fun as if you wear any kind of eye wear viability is an issue. My longest ride (starting in the dark) as been 42 miles. It can be harder to see potholes and such at night, even with 400 lumens of light. Seems wise to go a little slower than you'd normally ride.

Yeah, the lessening of traffic is one of the big advantages. It's just wonderful to have the world pretty much to yourself.

Two other related advantages, both issues here, are the cooler temps and the absence of the big heat lamp in the sky. The temps are that big of a difference, maybe 5 to 7 degrees, it's nice but not major, but not having that radiant source of heat up there is a huge benefit. It affects you not just directly with heat and glare but also the reflected heat off the roadways which by mid afternoon can reach 130 to 150F.

Funny you should mention the wet, I actually did get sprinkled. Nothing hard but definitely wet. Thankfully, at least for these purposes, I'm far-sighted so it's not a problem with glasses. Though my fenders are, well, iffy, they did work.

Your hours would just barely squeak by here, the commute traffic starts up around 4:30 and is in full gear by 5. Then it calms again just before 5:30 only to heat up again at 6 through 7.

I've always been a bit of a night-person anyway, so this is a great addition to my dark repetois.

Hooray for the dark side of life.

Roger Zoul

01-08-2009, 01:09 PM

As it is, I have a pair of Fenix L2Ds, one on each headset so they turn with the steering. The problem with this is because the headsets are not vertical, the lights arc across at an angle, aiming low when turned inboard, though they remain relatively level from straight on to outboard. Added to this is the tendency for the mounts to foul my pants so I am looking at alternative mountings. The Fennix's do throw a heck of a beam, but it's quite narrow. I think I'm going to have to augment the system with something with a wide and strong beam for the intermediate distance.

Do you find the lighting that turns with steering to be an advantage? So far, I have not felt a need for that, even though I have 3 Fenix L2Ds which I could use to make it happen. I keep one on my helmet so that if I end up in traffic or at an intersection I can reach up and turn on the strobe. I also use it if/when I need to see something off to my side or if I need a backup light to get home. My main lights are two 200L Dinotte's which are mounted off the derailer post in such a way as to ensure that my feet don't cast shadows into the beam.

I did play with the mounting of the Fenix lights on my vertical steerbars using the Fenix mount. AFter trying it, I decided the 2 Dinottes were plenty, even on unknown roads as long as I'm not going too fast or it's not raining or foggy.

Ha ha.. At the age of around 13 I decided it would be a good idea to see how far I could cycle with my eyes closed. It was down a hill that i knew well, maybe half a mile long and completely straight. I made a very useful discovery.
The distance one can cycle with one's eyes closed is...
..exactly as far as the next parked car.

RAFH

01-08-2009, 03:12 PM

Do you find the lighting that turns with steering to be an advantage? So far, I have not felt a need for that, even though I have 3 Fenix L2Ds which I could use to make it happen. I keep one on my helmet so that if I end up in traffic or at an intersection I can reach up and turn on the strobe. I also use it if/when I need to see something off to my side or if I need a backup light to get home. My main lights are two 200L Dinotte's which are mounted off the derailer post in such a way as to ensure that my feet don't cast shadows into the beam.

I did play with the mounting of the Fenix lights on my vertical steerbars using the Fenix mount. AFter trying it, I decided the 2 Dinottes were plenty, even on unknown roads as long as I'm not going too fast or it's not raining or foggy.

I dunno, as I have little to compare it with. I saw someone else do it and thought it a good idea and since I was going to get lights anyway, what the heck. As I said, because of the camber and caster of the headtube, the beam doesn't stay level with the ground but arcs. In the inboard direction, it heads way down, though in the outboard, it stays pretty level. I'm not sure it really helps. I did 'steer' my lights to pick out something while I was stopped, but that's hardly an advantage.

It is convenient for adjusting the lights, which beam you want and what level and if they are on or off, plus directional. But on the other hand, you get the reflection back off your feet as you pedal. I don't think I'd recommend it other than as an augmentation. For someone who does a lot of extensive night driving over unfamiliar roads, it would be a a good supplement to a main headlight that is aimed dead ahead. But it's what I got now and until I can figure something else out, it's what I'll stick with. Like I said, my pant legs tend to foul on the mountings which is annoying. That's not a big deal, I just roll my shorts up a ways, but there have been some coincidental reports of white thigh blindness in passersby so maybe that's not so good.

I'm trying to think of some simple way to mount the Fenixs up and and in front of the chainrings. The downside of that is the lengthening of the trike, especially with something likely to be relatively delicate. It's already a bit dicey getting it in and out the door, so adding another foot of length isn't going to help.

It's a funny problem. Seems there are lots of apparently good solutions at first glance but when you get into them, there's always some downside. Oh well, it makes life interesting.

RAFH

01-08-2009, 03:14 PM

Ha ha.. At the age of around 13 I decided it would be a good idea to see how far I could cycle with my eyes closed. It was down a hill that i knew well, maybe half a mile long and completely straight. I made a very useful discovery.
The distance one can cycle with one's eyes closed is...
..exactly as far as the next parked car.

Heh heh, or tree or if you are really unlucky, a cactus or pyracantha bush.

I think I'll keep my eyes open.

Roger Zoul

01-08-2009, 04:35 PM

It is convenient for adjusting the lights, which beam you want and what level and if they are on or off, plus directional. But on the other hand, you get the reflection back off your feet as you pedal. I don't think I'd recommend it other than as an augmentation. For someone who does a lot of extensive night driving over unfamiliar roads, it would be a a good supplement to a main headlight that is aimed dead ahead. But it's what I got now and until I can figure something else out, it's what I'll stick with. Like I said, my pant legs tend to foul on the mountings which is annoying. That's not a big deal, I just roll my shorts up a ways, but there have been some coincidental reports of white thigh blindness in passersby so maybe that's not so good.

I'm trying to think of some simple way to mount the Fenixs up and and in front of the chainrings. The downside of that is the lengthening of the trike, especially with something likely to be relatively delicate. It's already a bit dicey getting it in and out the door, so adding another foot of length isn't going to help.

It's a funny problem. Seems there are lots of apparently good solutions at first glance but when you get into them, there's always some downside. Oh well, it makes life interesting.

I tried a mount similar to yours with the Fenix. I think you could easily rig a way to mount them under the bottom bracket...perhaps using some PVC and shoe goo.

RAFH

01-08-2009, 04:53 PM

Wow, that's some structural system you got there. Looks like a TerraCycle mount and other sort of strut.

I think I'd like the lights up above the BB, like yours, rather than below. Yeah, they'd be more in the sight line but they'll give better illumination of the road with a steep angle and less reflected glare. Plus less blinding to oncoming traffic.

I've got a load of hose clamps, heat shrink tubing and aluminum sections of all kinds so it's just a matter of one of these days sitting down and doing it right. My biggest pause right now is wondering if I should stay with the Fenixs and try to figure out some way to power them off a central battery pack or just get a new light that uses an external power source, like the Dinottes. I'd get a Dinotte but, sheesh, they are bloody well expensive. I have no doubt they are worth every penny, it's just getting over that sticker shock and I've seen quite a few alternatives that are significantly less expensive.

Then again, do I really want a central battery pack. I like the idea of not having to carry a bunch of spares, some AAs, some AAAs, maybe a C or D, or some of the new types. I've already got a load of AA rechargeables and a charger so that is a factor as well. I've also got a pack I built up that puts out 12v with 2.5 Ah. Decisions, decisions. What a wonderful quandry.

GeeBee

01-08-2009, 05:51 PM

I found a helmet mounted light very useful in conjunction with a trike mounted one,but it was home made and weighed almost nothing so I don't know how the prodution jobs would feel on your helmet.

Roger Zoul

01-08-2009, 06:20 PM

Wow, that's some structural system you got there. Looks like a TerraCycle mount and other sort of strut.

Yes. I bought the Terracycle to mount the dinotte to use in flash mode in the daytime. Then, when I finally got around to trying to ride at night, it didn't work as well because the feet block the beam. So, I went into the parts box and found that Minoura Swing grip thingie, which is a mount itself. So I took it on the the Terracyle. Worked ok until I hit a bump, then the position would change and fall down torward the road. So, I got an old bike reflector/light clamp and a piece of chain tube and some zip ties. It won't move now.

I think I'd like the lights up above the BB, like yours, rather than below. Yeah, they'd be more in the sight line but they'll give better illumination of the road with a steep angle and less reflected glare. Plus less blinding to oncoming traffic.

That whole thing is well below my view of the road, so it doesn't really interfere with forward viewing.

I've got a load of hose clamps, heat shrink tubing and aluminum sections of all kinds so it's just a matter of one of these days sitting down and doing it right. My biggest pause right now is wondering if I should stay with the Fenixs and try to figure out some way to power them off a central battery pack or just get a new light that uses an external power source, like the Dinottes. I'd get a Dinotte but, sheesh, they are bloody well expensive. I have no doubt they are worth every penny, it's just getting over that sticker shock and I've seen quite a few alternatives that are significantly less expensive.

I hear you. I got over it by buying one piece at a time. :) I do like the Lit Ion batteries. But AAs are good to and easy to replace {I use rechargeables}. I use them for my rear lights. Obviously, on the trike the rears are not even optional for me, but the fronts are much more so. With the exception of night riding. Also, after having laid out all of the $$ for these lights, I figured I had better start riding into the night so that I could feel as though I'm getting good use of my $$ spent.

Then again, do I really want a central battery pack. I like the idea of not having to carry a bunch of spares, some AAs, some AAAs, maybe a C or D, or some of the new types. I've already got a load of AA rechargeables and a charger so that is a factor as well. I've also got a pack I built up that puts out 12v with 2.5 Ah. Decisions, decisions. What a wonderful quandry.

I think it is Cletus how got the Dinottes that run on AA. He wired a bunch in parallel to extend the run time. Another option.

If you keep your rides to less than 2 hours, then that Fenix would do just fine, I would think. Just carry an extra set of rechargeable AAs and you're good. I agree that its beam is a bit narrow, though. As an extra helmet light it works well with that strobe feature and for looking off to side. I should have mentioned that I ride through some dark empty places in the country -- so the extra light is good to have when you hear noises coming from dark places.

RAFH

01-08-2009, 11:50 PM

Well, my long term plan was to do the central battery pack with one of the LiFePO sets that Golden Motors uses. They run about $300 but you get a lot of refills, a relatively tiny package (4 x 4 x 15, 5 kg) and a load of power, 10 Ah at 36 volts. That's 360 watt hours. They have a bigger one (8 x 10.6 x 6.3, 13 kg) that's 20 Ah at 48 volts, nearly a KWh. With that, you could go days, maybe weeks without recharging and when you get some juice, it refills in a couple of hours. I was also thinking at the time I would be going with power assist.

However, that was back before I got my trike and before I started losing weight and gaining strength. After being a couch potato for 10 years, barely able to walk at times, unable to get down on the floor or get up if I did get down there, I had to think of electric assist. And photovoltaics and the whole nine yards. I even worked out a tailbox that would pump out 60 watts on a reasonable day.

Then I started working out on my home made recumbent exerbike, burnt it out and got a Schwinn one that I had to modify to be closer to recumbent (it was sort of crank forward rather than recumbent) and I started losing weight and gaining strength and, amazingly enough, losing the pain I was in. I've gone from 40 mg of methadone a day with constant though bearable pain (for over 8 years) down to 20 mg and free of pain. I even often to forget my meds for up to a day and still have no pain, it's just the withdrawals that kick in and remind me. I'm slowly beating that.

Now, I'm not so sure I need the assist. In fact, I'm leaning more and more away from it. Currently, my main reason for a central power source is to be able to turn the lights on and off and change modes without having to stop and get out of the seat. Frankly, it's just too damn comfortable.

So, yeah, I'm still into the battery pack thing. But I don't see how I could modify the Fenixs to work that way without compromising their normal use, they are awesome flashlights. I mean, it'd be easy to drill a hole in the tube and make up a dummy battery, but then I have a couple of Fenix with holes in their tubes. I guess I could figure out some sort of rubber plug for that as well. But then I'm getting back to doing more fiddling than driving. I've done enough fiddling for the time being and I still have some side panniers to finish.

Maybe while I'm in Washington I can get the panniers done. All I need to do is sew together the fabric covers. My first attempt with a $29.99 battery-powered plastic sewing machine didn't quite work out, it doesn't have a reverse stitch to lock the seam. My second attempt, getting a local seamstress to make them up also failed, she just wasn't up to the job, frankly I wonder why she advertises. Her machine didn't have a reverse stitch either. ?!?!?!? But my daughter has a good machine and some patients that are professionals that have offered to do any sewing she might need.

Anyway, I'm going out again tonight. I only have three more nights before I have to tear the trike down and pack it up and ship it off.

I really appreciate the pictures and comments. Sometimes it helps to bounce stuff off somebody else.